The ignorant doctor drinks his own poison, from Lights of Canopus (Anvar-i Suhayli) by Husayn Va`izi Kashifi

Nanha

The ignorant doctor drinks his own poison, folio from Lights of Canopus (Anvar-i Suhayli), a reworking of the animal fables Kalila and Dimna (Kalila wa Dimna), composed by Husayn Va`izi Kashifi. A fraudulent man poses as an expert doctor at the king's court, but his ignorance is disastrously revealed when he poisons the king's daughter by mistake. He is forced to drink his own "medicine" as a result, and dies. This folio is from a copy of a highly-regarded Persian text, written by Husayn Va`izi Kashifi (d.1504-05), a preacher and scholar at the Timurid court in Herat (modern Afghanistan). His patron was Amir Shaykh Suhayli, whose last name is punningly inserted into the new title. Writing in a sophisticated court style, Kashifi composed an updated version of these lively animal fables, which have a long transmission history going back to Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit texts. This manuscript was made in Mughal India, and features 96 paintings (mounted separately). Detached folio, ink, gold and colours on paper, from partial copy of Lights of Canopus (Anvar-i Suhayli) by Husayn Va`izi Kashifi (d.1504-5), Persian text with painting inscribed Nana (Nanha) (on verso), Agra, India, c. 1595-1600